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Wang Tuozi chuckled, "What are you afraid of? We’re on foot. If there’s no Fortune Inn nearby, we’ll definitely have to spend the night at Charity Hall. That’s a rule passed down from our ancestors."
Wei Ning smirked, "It’s not that. I just… am not used to sleeping… in a coffin."
Wang Tuozi laughed, "Coffin, coffin! Rising in rank and wealth, what a good omen! Only those ignorant fools would be superstitious about it. Inside, it’s spacious and comfortable; you wouldn’t know how nice it is to lie down." With that, Wang Tuozi stepped inside first. The long-abandoned Charity Hall was filled with an eerie scent. He placed his bundle and the glass bottle containing Black Cat on top of a coffin, picked out a cleaner one, wiped it down, then jumped inside, saying, "You should pick a clean one too. We’re tired; let’s get some rest."
Wei Ning hesitated for a while, feeling uneasy. A gust of cold wind blew through, causing the red candle Wang Tuozi lit at the altar to flicker ominously, amplifying the eerie atmosphere of the empty Charity Hall.
Wei Ning didn’t have the courage to sleep in a coffin. Instead, he found a clean spot on the ground, cleared it off, laid down some clothes, and leaned against the wall. Just as he settled in, he heard Wang Tuozi snoring loudly from across the room.
Feeling superstitious, Wei Ning couldn’t fall asleep. He took out the red bead he had found at Six Deaths and Five Burials and began to play with it. The bead seemed to be wrapped in a layer of black mist; its originally bright red surface appeared to have a faint black edge. Inside, something seemed to be swirling restlessly as if trying to break free. Wei Ning squeezed it tightly; it responded with a dull sound that made him uneasy. He recalled how this thing had once absorbed an unformed ghost child when he was at the Zhou family’s place. Could it be that this ghost child had manifested itself and thought he was the culprit seeking revenge?
Deciding to take a closer look, Wei Ning brought over the candlestick and placed the Red Pearl under the light. Indeed, within that black mist, there seemed to be the shape of a child curled up with its hands and feet tucked in as if still in its mother’s womb.
"Master, take a look at this," Wei Ning called out to Wang Tuozi.
"Damn it! What now? I just fell asleep! Can’t you let me rest properly?" Wang Tuozi crawled out of the coffin, his eyes still heavy with sleep.
"Master, look," Wei Ning handed the Red Pearl over to Wang Tuozi.
At first, Wang Tuozi casually flipped through it but soon his expression grew serious. Finally, he climbed out of the coffin completely, put on his clothes, and called for Wei Ning to bring him the lamp.
Wang Tuozi rummaged through his bundle for a while before producing several pieces of peach wood as if performing magic. He formed hand seals and shouted:
Liu Linglang, Liu Linglang, was born beside an ancient path in the wilderness. I now ask you to become the Divine General, so you won't suffer the wind and frost in the wild. In every season and festival, we will offer sacrifices to you, and every day you shall taste the fragrant dishes first. With the mighty forces of Yin and Yang, as the sun rises in the east, with a single strike of the divine axe, depart from this place early.
Wang Tuozi, the black mist inside the bead swirled more urgently. He took out a knife again and pricked Wei Ning's index finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the bead. The bead emitted a sound similar to a high-frequency vibration, akin to a ringing in the ears—its pitch fluctuating but undeniably high. Wei Ning felt discomfort in his ears and wanted to cover them, but Wang Tuozi stopped him.
Wang Tuozi instructed Wei Ning to hold the bead with both hands. Wei Ning felt a chilling aura emanating from it that made him uneasy; it surged into his mind like a foul stench, making him feel nauseous.
At that moment, a cold wind blew through, and suddenly the child within the bead opened its eyes. The chilling aura doubled in intensity, and Wei Ning could no longer bear it; he dropped the bead to the ground with a thud.
Wei Ning's hands seemed to have formed a thin layer of frost.
Only then did the bead return to normal.
Wang Tuozi picked up the bead and said, "Child, you've struck gold this time; you've nurtured an inexpensive Liu Linglang."
"What? Liu Linglang?"
"The ghosts nurtured by Maoshan's Ghost Raising Technique are divided into five types: Five Ghosts, Emotional Ghosts, Wealth Ghosts, Eight Elders, Guardian Ghosts, and Spirit Children. Among them, Spirit Children are the hardest to nurture and require the highest standards from those who nurture ghosts. The appearance rate of Liu Linglang among Spirit Children is almost zero. With Zhou Xin's level of skill, it's impossible for him to raise a Liu Linglang. Yet by chance, that child had good fortune—both mother and child are Four Pillars of Complete Yin Destiny. Plus, your Red Pearl is derived from a Drought Corpse that failed during a thunderstorm in Inferno; it carries heavy resentment. Generally, those nurturing ghosts must go through five steps: first is gathering spirits, second is Soul Refinement, third is splitting consciousness, fourth is blending essence, and fifth is forming a pact. Zhou Xin completed the first three steps for you; as for blending essence—this Drought Corpse was originally raised in Corpse Raising Ground. Its life essence is among the purest found in this world. This blending step has also been taken care of by your Drought Corpse's life essence. As for forming a pact—your master just taught you how to complete that step as well. You didn't have to do anything at all and ended up with a Liu Linglang that others dream of having. Aren't you lucky?"
"What do I want this for? Nurturing ghosts is so sinister; I don't want it."
Wang Tuozi chuckled softly. "The current Liu Linglang has just taken shape; of course you don't know its benefits yet. In a few years' time, you'll understand its value. By then, even if someone offers mountains of gold and silver for it, you might not want to trade it away. I suspect that today’s Evil Energy from Charity Hall stirred it awake; otherwise, who knows how long it would have remained asleep? When you return home, make a small house out of willow wood in your bedroom. Remember to light an oil lamp in front of the willow house at night; otherwise, the ghost won't find its way home. Feed it regularly with food—make sure it's water without roots; otherwise, if it drinks other water, it will die. Also, prepare a new set of clothes for it every three months; willow Spirit Children dislike black clothing. So don’t be foolish enough to make black clothes for it; otherwise, it will get angry."
Wei Ning muttered uncertainly, "What is water without roots?"
"It's just rainwater."
Wei Ning added, "Nurturing Ghosts are such evil things, I don't want any part of that."
Wang Tuozi rolled his eyes and said, "Whether you want it or not, give me that Liu Linglang!"
Wei Ning quickly pulled the Red Pearl closer to her chest. "This was given to me by my grandfather to keep safe, so I'm not giving it to you."
"How ambitious."
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